Animal shelter failed second inspection

A recent investigation by the Colorado Department of Agriculture into the Humane Society of Fremont County involves multiple complaints, two inspections and about 80 pages of documents.

The shelter failed the second inspection based on evidence of one or more critical violations that directly and immediately affect animal health and welfare.

A report released Wednesday to the Daily Record by the CDA indicates the shelter, under the direction of Tom Cameron and a board of three directors, was investigated on several claims, including:

— euthanasia not being conducted in a humane manner and according to the American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines;

— animals not always being provided with timely veterinary care when ill or injured;

— violation of animal holding periods;

— inaccurate or incomplete record keeping;

— insufficient-sized animal enclosures;

— a surgery room that also was used as a cat intake and holding area;

— lack of isolation room for animals with communicable diseases;

— unsound physical structures;

— no inspection for a foster home;

— and improper cleaning and sanitation.

The complaints of shelter violations were filed by former volunteers and a previous employee, accompanied with documentation and photographs that also were provided to the Daily Record.

In a phone call Wednesday to the shelter, Tom Cameron and his wife, Diana Cameron, also the shelter office manager, claimed the allegations were false and unfounded.

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"These allegations are not founded in fact," Diana Cameron said. "These are disgruntled former volunteers who couldn't get things their own way and are retaliating. These are completely unfounded things."

"My comment is that these are lies," Tom Cameron said. "That's all I can say."

A Pet Animal Care Facilities Act inspector with the CDA inspected the facility June 7 at 110 Rhodes Ave. and then again during a follow-up visit July 22. The report addresses the stated violations, what was seen and/or observed by the state inspector and the violation type.

Dr. Kate Anderson of the CDA said some of the allegations came after the first inspection and were reviewed during the follow-up visit.

According to the report issued by the CDA, the shelter failed the second visit because of euthanasia practices; cat cages in the intake room still were not solid; cat cages in the intake room and adoption room continued to accommodate cats up to only six pounds; the isolation room was still under repair; drains in dog runs still needed to be covered to prevent escape; and dog kennels measuring 32-square feet can house large dogs for only two weeks.

Ruth Stimack, president of the shelter board, said she has not yet seen the follow-up visit report, but she said staff is taking steps to come into compliance with state regulations and to work with the Department of Agriculture.

She said an isolation room for sick animals with a separate air system is being built; a separate operating and medical room has been designated; a drainage area for kennels is being constructed and dogs now will be removed from the enclosure when it is hosed down.

"We are in the process of buying new cat cages because our cat cages were not the proper size by less than in inch," she said. "In the feline room in the front of the humane society, we are making what is one kennel now into two, so those will be sufficient and very large for any cat that we would have."

Stimack said the volunteer program has been discontinued, but the shelter is looking for a coordinator to develop a new volunteer program.

"We have many other things ahead of that to get in compliance," she said. "So far, we've accomplished quite a bit."

She said volunteers have not approached her with concerns about some of the potential violations they may have witnessed or noticed at the shelter.

"In talking with all of our people, our focus is to do what our purpose is which is to care for, feed and make sure the animals are healthy and that we adopt out as many animals as we can," she said.

Kristine Vuolo was employed by the shelter from April to August 2011. She said she has remained on good terms with shelter managers even though she was told she was no longer needed there because she was too "rescuey." She said criteria for euthanizing cats was "very touchy."

"Any small or insignificant thing would cause their death from spraying or urinating outside their litter box, even if accidental," she said. "If a cat had diarrhea or loose stools, weeping, crusty eyes or sneezing it was put down, even if the sneezing was caused by the dust in their litter boxes."

Vuolo said cats and kittens were euthanized by use of a "heart stick" with no prior sedation. She said heart sticks are typically performed on small dogs, and larger dogs are put down by a vein stick without prior sedation.

"Many were held by the scruff and just stabbed," she said. "Others had to be pinned to the table. On more occasions than I wish to recollect, the cats and kittens would scream and cry and the seizures they would go through before death were beyond cruel."

Vuolo said she witnessed live animals being loaded into the freezer after euthanization injections had been given and that it was not standard practice to check if the heart had quit beating.

"I was a volunteer for two years at the shelter and witnessed cruelties I have never before seen,"said former volunteer Ashley Glasser.

She said cages are only hosed down with water if feces is present, and the animals are in the enclosure during the procedure.

"Urine scold and bacterial build up are common sightings on the shelter animals," she said. "It is important to note that healing animals from surgeries are also kept in these unsanitary conditions making them a breeding ground for infectious diseases. Puppies are also hosed down while in their cages.

"During the cold months, pneumonia is common yet proper treatment is not provided and many die possibly due to respiratory failure."

Anderson said if the shelter does not correct the violations or make them compliant, it will be noted as a repeat violation on the report and the state will work with them to correct the violations.

"Ultimately, if a facility chooses not to correct the violation that is noted multiple times, we can follow up with civil penalties or cease and desist orders," Anderson said. "We have tools that we can use to gain compliance, but we generally start out with education as we are doing here."

She said none of the violations warrant criminal charges.

"We would work through our process and to get things into compliance," she said. "Our goal is to bring the facility into compliance."

Diana Cameron said she is confident the shelter will be able to correct the violations before the next state-required visit on or after Sept. 6.